The present invention is directed toward aqueous compositions of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), particularly non-glycosylated G-CSF, having a pH of from about 5.0 to about 8.0, and a salt comprising sulfate ions at a concentration of from about 0.01M to about 1.0M.
The presence of the salt comprising sulfate ions unexpectedly stabilizes non-glycosylated G-CSF in an aqueous composition having a pH from about 5.0 to about 8.0.
Colony stimulating factors induce proliferation, development and maturation of specific haematopoietic cells. G-CSF, in particular, leads to enhanced levels of circulating polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), which play critical roles in the destruction of infectious agents. Human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (hG-CSF), for example, is used to stimulate haematopoiesis to protect patients undergoing bone marrow-suppressive chemotherapy against opportunistic infections.
G-CSF may also be used to afford similar protection for domesticated animals such as cattle, dogs, and cats. Infectious diseases in cattle and milk-producing cows, including shipping fever and bovine mastitis respectively, are a source of significant, persistent economic losses.
Shipping fever encompasses a collection of respiratory ailments afflicting cattle that are often detected in stressed animals within a population assembled from a number of different sources into a feed lot. The initial infections, generally caused by mycoplasma, chlamydia, bacteria, viruses, or mixtures thereof, are highly contagious and, although usually not lethal, they leave the animal in a debilitated state. Subsequent infection by another, opportunistic organism, especially Pasteurella haemolytica, is often the cause of mortality under these circumstances, rather than the initial infection. Bovine mastitis refers to an infection of the udders that may be caused by either gram negative or gram positive organisms. These infections are also highly contagious and may lead to a significant reduction in milk production by the affected cow, and, if scarring occurs, this loss may be permanent. Accordingly, methods and compositions that permit successful treatment of domesticated species with G-CSF could prevent or ameliorate the effects of such infectious diseases in such commercially important animals.
Mature bovine granulocyte colony stimulating factor, bG-CSF (GenBank Accession Number AF0925333), consists of 174 amino acids, of which 82% are identical with those in the corresponding human protein (GenBank Accession Number M17706). Both the human and bovine granulocyte colony stimulating factors are hydrophobic proteins, which include an odd number (five) of cysteine residues. Consequently, at least one of the cysteine side chains will present a free thiol moiety that may lead to the formation of untoward intramolecular and intermolecular disulfide linkages, resulting in the accumulation of insoluble, biologically inactive, dimeric or polymeric structures. This hypothesis has been proposed as one possible explanation for the observation that hG-CSF, bG-CSF and other G-CSF molecules, particularly recombinant, non-glycosylated forms produced in prokaryotic hosts, are difficult to formulate as stable, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions.
Glycosylated hG-CSF has been compared with de-glycosylated hG-CSF, prepared by in vitro enzymatic digestion with neuraminidase and endo-xcex1-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, with respect to its stability as a function of pH and temperature (Oh-eda et al., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265 (20): 11432-35). The de-glycosylated hG-CSF, dissolved at a concentration of 1 xcexcg/mL in 20 mM phosphate buffer containing 0.2 M NaCl and 0.01% Tween 20 was rapidly inactivated within the pH range of from about pH 7 to about pH 8 after a two-day incubation at 37xc2x0 C. In contrast, glycosylated hG-CSF retained over 80% of its activity under the same conditions. Furthermore, evaluation of the thermal stability of both forms of hG-CSF, measured by biological assay and calorimetric analysis, indicated that de-glycosylated hG-CS F was less thermally stable than the native form of hG-CSF.
A number of approaches have been taken in order to provide stable, pharmaceutically acceptable G-CSF compositions. One approach to improving the composition stability of G-CSF involves the synthesis of derivatives of the protein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,863 to Yeh (the xe2x80x9c""863 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses the formation of recombinant chimeric proteins comprising G-CSF coupled with albumin, which have new pharmacokinetic properties. U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,784 to Kinstler et al. (the xe2x80x9c""784 patentxe2x80x9d) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,840 to Camble et al., (the xe2x80x9c""840 patentxe2x80x9d) disclose the chemical attachment of water-soluble polymers to proteins to improve stability and provide protection against proteolytic degradation. More specifically, the ""784 patent discloses N-terminally modified G-CSF molecules carrying chemically attached polymers, including polyethylene glycol.
An alternative approach to increasing stability of G-CSF in composition involves alteration of the amino acid sequence of the protein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,195 to Camble et al. (the xe2x80x9c""195 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses genetically engineered analogues of G-CSF having improved composition stability, wherein the cysteine residue normally found at position 17 of the mature polypeptide chain, the aspartic acid residue found at position 27, and at least one of the tandem proline residues found at positions 65 and 66, are all replaced with a serine residue. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,581 to Camble et al. (the xe2x80x9c""581 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses the genetically engineered G-CSF analogues of the ""195 patent that have been covalently conjugated to a water soluble polymer.
Other approaches to improving the composition stability of G-CSF molecules have involved modification of the solvent in which the G-CSF is dissolved. U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,651 to Boone et al. (the xe2x80x9c""651 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses improved stability of G-CSF under conditions of low pH and minimal ionic strength. The ""651 patent discloses a stabilized pharmaceutically acceptable composition consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of G-CSF and acid, where the composition has a pH of 3.0 to 3.7 and a conductivity of less than 1000 xcexcmhos/cm. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, no salt, other than a residual trace derived from the purification process, will be included in the composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,075 to Collins et al. (the xe2x80x9c""075 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses stable compositions of proteins, including G-CSF, comprising a liposome vesicle composed of negatively charged phospholipids, where only a portion of the protein is inserted into the lipid portion of the vesicle. The ""075 patent also discloses compositions comprising liposome vesicles combined with G-CSF that has been covalently linked with polyethylene glycol.
A stable G-CSF containing composition is disclosed in GB 2193621 A (the xe2x80x9c""621 application), which comprises at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant, saccharide, protein and a high-molecular weight compound. Suitable high-molecular weight compounds include hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Proteins deemed useful in the compositions of the ""621 application include human serum albumin, human serum globulin, gelatin, acid-treated gelatin, and alkali-treated gelatin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,827 to Woog et al. (the xe2x80x9c""827 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses pharmaceutical preparations of G-CSF that include at least one bactericidal preservative selected from the group consisting of chlorobutanol, benzyl alcohol, benzalkonium chloride and mixtures thereof. Pharmaceutical preparations of the ""827 patent may also include auxiliary substances, examples of which are stabilizing agents and organic hydrophilic polymers. Useful stabilizers disclosed by the ""827 patent encompass oligosaccharides such as sucrose, lactose and dextrans with a molecular weight of about 10,000 to 2,000,000. Useful organic hydrophilic polymers include polyethylene glycol and polyvinylpyrrolidone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,757 to Michaelis et al. (the xe2x80x9c""757 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses aqueous pharmaceutical preparations of G-CSF that are stable on storage, which comprise a buffer selected from the group consisting of citrate, maleate, a mixture of citrate and phosphate, arginine and arginine salts, and at least one surfactant, where the pH of the composition is from about pH 7 to pH 8. The ""757 patent discloses that particular pH ranges of the liquid pharmaceutical preparation, in a mixture with a particular buffer result in particularly stable compositions. Furthermore, the ""757 patent discloses that it is not advantageous to add salts, since high concentrations of salts or ions promote the formation of G-CSF aggregates. The ""757 patent also discloses that, accordingly, buffer concentrations are calculated so that the pH-stabilizing effect is achieved but the ionic strength is kept as small as possible, with buffer concentrations preferably in the range of up to 80 mM, and particularly preferably of less than 30 mM.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,443 to Michaelis et al. (the xe2x80x9c""443 patent xe2x80x9d) discloses lyophilized and reconstituted pharmaceutical preparations comprising G-CSF, a stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of maltose, cellobiose, gentibiose, isomaltose and sucrose, and a surfactant that is present in an amount no greater than the amount of G-CSF present in the composition. The preparations of the ""443 patent have a pH within the range of pH 7 to pH 8, and are free of human serum albumin and polymers. The ""443 patent also discloses it may be expedient to add auxiliary substances, which are mainly non-ionized, to provide an isotonic pharmaceutical preparation. The ""443 patent further indicates that it is not advantageous to add salts to adjust the isotonicity, as high concentrations of salts or ions promote formation of G-CSF aggregates and, accordingly, salts are added in small amounts.
PCT International Publication No. WO 95/03034 (the xe2x80x9c""034 publicationxe2x80x9d) discloses stabilized aqueous compositions of G-CSF to be administered as aerosols, comprising a polar organic compound, which reduces the surface tension of water to no greater than about 65 dynes/centimeter, or a surfactant which reduces the surface tension of water to no greater than about 40 dynes/centimeter. The ""034 publication discloses preferred polar organic solvents that include polyethylene glycol and methyl pentanediol, and a preferred surfactant, Tween 80. Compositions disclosed in the ""034 publication may include a buffer or, simply, aqueous hydrochloric acid, such that the pH is adjusted to fall within the range of pH 2.5 to pH 5.5.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,150 to Bousseau et al. (the xe2x80x9c""150 patentxe2x80x9d) discloses compositions suitable for subcutaneous, continuous administration of G-CSF. The G-CSF compositions of the ""150 patent comprise granulocyte colony stimulating factor, serum albumin, a non-ionic surface-active agent, a saccharide, disodium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, and sodium chloride.
Solution folding of proteins is influenced by the presence of one or more salts, which may interact with both the protein and the solvent. Ionic components of salts may interact directly with the charged amino acid side chains or dipolar peptide bonds of the protein, and they may also affect the structure of the solvent, thereby influencing the interaction between the dissolved protein and the solvent. The nature of these interactions is influenced by the specific protein, its concentration, the temperature and pH of the solution, the particular salt used and the concentration of that salt. These features may be exploited for example, to allow the selective precipitation of polypeptides as part of a protein purification process. Hydrophobic proteins, which are inherently less water soluble, are particularly sensitive to aggregation and precipitation in the presence of salt, and therefore, as exemplified by the ""443, ""757, and ""651 patents, prior art G-CSF compositions have deliberately avoided the addition of salt.
The present invention is directed toward stabilized aqueous compositions of G-CSF. The invention provides unexpectedly stable aqueous compositions comprising G-CSF, particularly non-glycosylated G-CSF, having a pH of from about 5.0 to about 8.0, and a salt comprising a sulfate ion. The aqueous composition may also comprise at least one buffering agent. The concentration of G-CSF, particularly non-glycosylated G-CSF, in any of the compositions described herein is preferably at least about 0.01 mg/mL and the concentration of the salt comprising sulfate ions in the compositions is preferably from about 0.01M to about 1.0M; preferred concentrations are at least about 0.01 mg/mL non-glycosylated G-CSF and at least 0.1M of the salt comprising sulfate ions. In an embodiment of any of the compositions described herein, the granulocyte colony stimulating factor is selected from the group consisting of bovine granulocyte colony stimulating factor, canine granulocyte colony stimulating factor, feline granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and human granulocyte colony stimulating factor.
The present invention is also directed to a method of treating disease in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment, a therapeutically effective dose of granulocyte colony stimulating factor in an aqueous composition having a pH of from about 5.0 to about 8.0, which aqueous composition comprises a salt comprising sulfate ions, wherein the salt is present at a concentration of from about 0.01M to about 1.0M. In other embodiments, the aqueous composition comprises any of the above-described compositions. In an embodiment of the method, the mammal is a canine mammal. In another embodiment of the method, the mammal is a feline mammal. In another embodiment of the method, the mammal is a human. The invention is also directed to a method of treating disease or conditions alleviated by stimulation of haematopoiesis. In an embodiment, the method is used to alleviate the effects of bone-marrow suppressive therapy, as in cancer treatments. In an embodiment of the method, the disease is granulocytopenia. In another embodiment of the method, the disease is an infectious disease. In a preferred embodiment of the method, the mammal is a bovine mammal. In a more preferred embodiment of the method, the infectious disease is shipping fever or bovine mastitis, and the mammal is a bovine mammal. The invention also relates to the use of an aqueous composition as provided herein, for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment in a mammal, preferably a bovine mammal or a human, of a disease, such as granulocytopenia or an infectious disease, as described further herein.
The present invention may be understood more fully by reference to the detailed description and illustrative examples, which are intended to exemplify non-limiting embodiments of the invention.
The present invention is directed toward aqueous compositions comprising non-glycosylated G-CSF that comprise from about 0.01M to about 1.0M of a salt comprising sulfate ions, and having a pH of from about 5 to about 8. Such aqueous compositions exhibit unexpectedly improved stability.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cG-CSFxe2x80x9d refers to a protein that has the sequence of a naturally occurring mammalian granulocyte colony stimulating factor. The production of recombinant non-glycosylated bG-CSF is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,883. The production of non-glycosylated human G-CSF (xe2x80x9chG-CSFxe2x80x9d) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,643 and the production of non-glycosylated canine G-CSF is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,024. The G-CSF of other mammalian species can be cloned and expressed using the procedures set forth in the above noted patents concerning bovine and canine G-CSF.
As used herein, G-CSF encompasses structural analogues of this protein having one or more amino acid substitutions, additions or deletions. Also contemplated by the term G-CSF, as used herein, are portions or fragments of the mature protein which retain at least one of the biological activities of the intact molecule, whether used alone or formed as part of a chimeric protein, however constructed. Furthermore, as used herein, G-CSF also encompasses derivatives (xe2x80x9cmuteinsxe2x80x9d) of G-CSF wherein at least one residue has been replaced with another amino acid. Included are derivatives in which at least one of the following amino acid substitutions has been made (amino acid numbering is in reference to the mature protein; therefore where an N-terminal methionine is present, it is assigned position xe2x88x921 or 0): Cys17 of the native sequence replaced by a Ser17 residue, Asp27 of the native sequence replaced by a Ser27 residue, Leu15 of the native sequence replaced by a Glu15 residue, Lys23 of the native sequence replaced by an Arg23 residue, Gly28 of the native sequence replaced by an Ala28 residue, Lys40 of the native sequence replaced by an Arg40 residue, Pro∴of the native sequence replaced by an Ala44 residue, Leu49 of the native sequence replaced by a Lys49 residue, Gly55 of the native sequence replaced by an Ala55 residue, Cys60 of the native sequence replaced by a Ser60 residue, Pro111 of the native sequence replaced by a Glu111 residue, Thr115 of the native sequence replaced by a Ser115 residue, and Tyr165 of the native sequence replaced by an Arg165 residue. Such derivatives are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,195, which is included herein by reference, in its entirety.
Suitable salts comprising sulfate ions, which are preferably inorganic sulfate salts, comprise sulfate ions and at least one suitable cation, which may be selected from the group consisting of alkali metal ions, alkaline earth metal ions, and ammonium ion. Preferred salts comprising sulfate ions are selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and mixtures thereof. The most preferred salt comprising sulfate ions is ammonium sulfate. Suitable concentration ranges for the salt comprising sulfate ions in the aqueous compositions are from about 0.01 M to about 1.0M, preferably from about 0.025M to about 0.5M, more preferably from about 0.05M to about 0.25M, and most preferably greater than 0.1M but less than about 1.0M. Salts comprising sulfate ions useful in the present invention include those salts, whether anhydrous or hydrated, that are sufficiently water-soluble to provide aqueous compositions having a concentration of at least about 0.1M at 20xc2x0 C. at neutral pH.
G-CSF can be dissolved in the subject aqueous compositions to provide a therapeutically effective dose when a pharmaceutically acceptable volume is administered to the animal. The concentration of non-glycosylated G-CSF, particularly non-glycosylated G-CSF, in the present aqueous compositions is suitably from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 10 mg/mL, preferably from about 0.1 mg/mL to about 7.5 mg/mL, and more preferably from about 1 mg/mL to about 5 mg/mL.
Suitable pH values for the aqueous compositions of the present invention are from about pH 5 to about pH 8, and preferably from about pH 6 to about pH 7.5. Suitable buffering agents that are advantageously used to maintain the pH of the subject aqueous compositions include acetate, citrate, and phosphate. Alternative buffering agents include buffers containing sulfonate moieties, such as HEPES, BES, TAPS, EPPS, TES, and mixtures thereof. Generally, the buffering agent chosen has a pKa within 1 pH unit, and preferably within 0.5 pH unit, of the pH value chosen for the G-CSF aqueous composition. In some instances, buffering agents may be used at a concentration of up to about 1 M, although as used herein the buffering agents are generally used in the present compositions at a concentration within the range of from about 1 mM to about 100 mM, preferably from about 5 mM to 50 mM and, most preferably at about 10 mM.
The method of preparation of the subject aqueous compositions is not critical. For example, aqueous compositions can be prepared by dissolving G-CSF, which, for example, may be provided as a lyophilized powder, in water, followed by the addition of aliquots of concentrated stock compositions or solid reagents, pH adjustment as necessary with an acid or base, and addition of water to bring the aqueous composition to an appropriate final volume. Alternatively, the G-CSF can be dissolved in a previously prepared aqueous composition, which may comprise a suitable buffering agent and a salt comprising sulfate ions. The subject aqueous compositions may also be prepared by adding aliquots of concentrated stock solutions or solid reagents to an aqueous composition of G-CSF to provide a stabilized G-CSF composition. Other methods for preparing the aqueous compositions of the present invention include dialysis or ultrafiltration of G-CSF compositions against an aqueous composition, which may comprise one or more buffering agents and one or more salts comprising sulfate ions of the present invention.
The aqueous compositions of the present invention may also comprise other pharmaceutically acceptable solutes including additives and other therapeutic agents, as appropriate. Suitable additives are those well known in the art including, but not limited to, antioxidants, antibacterials, surfactants, chelating agents, sugars, and preservatives.
The present aqueous compositions can be lyophilized and stored as powders or lyophilisates until needed and then redissolved in an aqueous medium.
The aqueous compositions of the invention can be administered by injection, which can be intramuscular, intravenous or preferably subcutaneous. A dose of from about 0.5 xcexcg/Kg/day to about 10 xcexcg/Kg/day, preferably from about 1 xcexcg/Kg/day to 5 xcexcg/Kg/day, can be used to induce granulocytosis and reverse granulocytopenia. Generally, the dose and mode of administration of the aqueous compositions of the invention are the same as conventional bG-CSF compositions.
The following examples illustrate the compositions and methods of the present invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific details of the Examples provided below.